Mystery Gearbox Noise - Help

[mat1227 1]

Hi - help please

 

After months of being in RUDE health my 205 Mi has started making a noise from the general gearbox area. I'm trying to work out if it's a new gearbox job, or linkages/something simpler..

 

- It'll only start making the noise above 50mph, and the noise starts happening from the first time I use engine braking. So, constant acceleration, fine - heavy acceleration, also fine. Back off but start slowing the car using the brakes, can be fine. The problem is when you back off and don't use the brakes

- Once this happens once on a journey, the noise will come back, and last longer as the journey goes on (still intermittent). Toward the end of the journey it happens on steady part throttle too

- The noise is best described as a medium pitched chuntering/friction that comes and goes (definitely not whine, I know that from previous gearbox issues on other cars )

- It'll happen when slowing in neutral as much as when slowing in gear

- The reason suspect gearbox (aside from the fact it comes from passenger front footwell) is that you can chance the character of the noise by gently moving the gearstick in gear

- When the noise is happening, I feel very subtle friction on the rolling resistance of the car (if that makes sense).

- Gearstick fine, engages all gears, clutch behaves normall but I swear it subjectively feels a little notchier/clunkier (even when stationary). Not sure if this is my imagination

 

The noise is very hard to explain, so trying to upload an m4a sound clip from my phone with very limited succes..

 

I really need transport for the next 2 weeks visiting friends etc etc., so any advice or help anyone can give would be massively appreciated?

 

Thanks and happy pre-Christmas

 

Mat

[mat1227 1]

..arrrrggh trying to attach an .m4a/.aac sound clip from my phone is proving impossible. Can anyone technically minded suggest a way of linking to it? Photobucket won't

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

You could try making it into a zip file.

 

Graham.

[mat1227 1]

Good shout

 

Trying now thanks Graham

 

Mat

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

I bet it is the intermediate bearing on the longer driveshaft.

[mat1227 1]

Thanks Simes, would this be a gearbox swap job? Or just driveshaft?

 

Sounds like exactly the same problem that Rob and Steve had here, the video in post 7 is identical:

 

http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?showtopic=100566

Edited December 26, 2009 by mat1227

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

IIRC when Jimistdt had a similar noise to that it was a wheel bearing.

 

Thanks Simes, would this be a gearbox swap job? Or just driveshaft?

If it is the intermediate bearing its just the driveshaft although its sometimes possible to get just the bearing if you have a good driveshaft but tbh if its gone the driveshaft isn't a particularly good one & its worth replacing the whole thing to save doing a job twice.

 

Graham.

[jengis 0]

my guess would be wheel bearing related - hard to diagnose when they are only just starting to develop play, but quite common for them to fail with the symptoms you say. Putting pressure on the gear lever changing the noise is interesting, perhaps it is damping some of the vibration in the drivetrain transfered through from the faulty bearing, maybe?

 

Does it happen mostly in a straight line? does the noise change if you turn the steering slightly? Any noises on hard cornering at speed?

[mat1227 1]

Mostly noticeable in a straight line, definitely, but as it mainly manifests itself at motorway speed I've not done much/any hard cornering at 50+ - next time it happens I'll have a cheeky weave and see if it changes. I've certainly noticed no change at all from the noise when it comes to gently changing lane/motorway sweepers

 

I'm also waiting to hear how Steve and Rob resolved their related issues, as it seems identical - if they were wheel bearings then that seems to be the likely culprit

Edited December 26, 2009 by mat1227